1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to optical fiber cable management systems, and more particularly to an internal optical fiber manager to be used within optical fiber distribution housings.
2. Description of the Related Art
In situations where a large number of optical fiber cables are to be connected, the connections are typically made in optical fiber distribution housings. The housings are typically comprised of a plurality of equipment racks that form bays for containing fiber optic equipment such as splice boxes and connection modules. Due to space limitations often found in many situations it is desirable that the fiber distribution housing allow for the connection of as many fiber cables as possible, in as small a space as possible. It is also important to keep all of the fiber cables organized and properly routed inside the fiber distribution housing.
Fiber optic cable managers have been designed to help organize cables that are routed through fiber distribution housings. Existing fiber cable managing systems are commonly external. External fiber cable managing systems often take up limited rack space that could be otherwise used for additional cable or equipment capacity in the rack. The following patent documents disclose examples of existing fiber management systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,130 to Walters et al. discloses an optical fiber connector housing. The housing includes a connector panel portion for holding a plurality of connectors. The connector panel is disposed on the front surface of the housing. A door is pivotally attached to the bottom portion of the housing and is spaced from and parallel to the connector panel. The housing further includes a plurality of brackets on a bottom surface of the housing for routing the fiber cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,825,962 to Walters et al. discloses an optical fiber splicing housing. The fiber housing includes a raceway unit disposed on the rear surface of the housing. A plurality of mounting brackets are disposed on the raceway unit. Each bracket has a slot for receiving fiber cable into the mounting bracket.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,009,223 to Arizpe discloses an external bracket assembly for strain relief of optical fiber jumpers. The bracket is mounted to a surface on the outside of a fiber distribution housing. The bracket is oriented longitudinally along the surface of the housing. Each bracket has a plurality of openings for receiving fanning finger blocks, which are used to route the cables.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,316 to Bauer discloses a telecommunications rack cable support bracket. The bracket includes two openings through which cable may be routed. A plurality of cable bundle management devices are mounted to each bracket. Support brackets are mounted along the top surface of a telecommunications rack.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,443 to Uruno et al. discloses an optical fiber distribution module for holding an optical fiber cord and fiber distribution system using optical fiber cords. The fiber distribution module comprises a plurality of fiber sorting clips. The sorting clips are U-shaped with right and left arm members. The arm members have fiber cord passageways for receiving and retaining fiber cords in a horizontal position.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,381,393 to Matthews et al. discloses a fanning strip for a cable management panel. The fanning strip is attached to a fiber optic distribution housing. The fanning strip has a one piece molded body with a base portion and a plurality of cable retainers extending from the base. The cable retainers hold cables in an organized manner. The fanning strip is located on either side of the distribution housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,424,781 to Puetz et al. discloses an optical fiber distribution frame with pivoting connector panels. The optical fiber distribution frame includes rotatable panels on either side of the frame. A rear cable guide is disposed within the frame. The frame includes a left and right vertical cable guide, each providing side access into the frame. The frame includes a lower cable splice area defining a plurality of splice tray holders. The frame includes a plurality of cable passageways and guides for directing the cable through the frame. Finally, the frame includes a plurality of adjustable cable rings located in a termination area of the frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,515,227 to Massey et al. discloses a fiber optic cable management enclosure with integral bend radius control. The enclosure includes mounting brackets for attaching the enclosure to an equipment rack. The sidewalls of the enclosure include openings for allowing the cable to pass through into the enclosure. A tray is positioned in the interior of the enclosure and includes a plurality of cable management clamps for restraining the cables within the enclosure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,522,823 to Wentworth et al. discloses a low profile cable trough. The invention includes a lateral trough for defining a cable pathway. The lateral trough includes a planar upstanding side with a top end. An exit trough is mountable to the lateral trough to provide a cable exit pathway from the lateral trough. The exit trough includes an arch wall having an upper convex surface, a lower concave surface and a sidewall portion.
Japanese Pat. No. 8056084 to Hitoshi et al. discloses an optical cable aligning tool. The tool comprises a support cord and a ring for aligning the cable. The ring has an oblique slit for receiving optical cable. The ring is detachably mounted to the support.
European Pat. No. 1 160 605 to Caveney discloses an optical fiber routing and distribution system. The system includes an open frame with a plurality of enclosures for containing fiber optic equipment secured to the frame. The system includes a plurality of cable trough assemblies that define a horizontal cable pathway. The system further includes a plurality of cable rings mounted on either side of the open frame defining a vertical cable pathway.
It is desirable to have an optical fiber cable management system that allows for efficient management of the optical cables while minimizing the amount of space taken up by the cables and housing. Internal cable management systems provide a space saving option that is not afforded by external cable managers. Therefore, what is needed is a modular optical fiber cable manager that can be fabricated within the optical fiber distribution housing for new use or as an attachment to existing optical fiber distribution housings. What is further needed is a modular optical fiber cable manager that allows for the most efficient use of equipment rack and housing space while optimizing the cable management capabilities inside of the distribution housing. What is still further needed is a modular optical fiber cable manager that can be attached to an existing fiber distribution housing without having to make any modifications to the existing housing. Finally, what is still further needed is a modular optical fiber cable manager that is designed to properly manage the optical fiber cables in the top half of the fiber housing panels.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus an optical fiber cable manager solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The present invention is an optical fiber cable manager for use with a fiber distribution housing. A first embodiment of the present invention is an optical fiber cable manager attachment for attaching to an existing fiber distribution housing. The attachment comprises a rigid, horizontally disposed frame having a top surface and a bottom surface. A mounting slot adapted for fitting the optical fiber cable manager attachment to the interior of the fiber distribution housing is disposed on the top surface of the cable manager. The mounting slot extends from the front of the cable manager to the rear of the cable manager. The attachment further includes a plurality of cable retaining brackets that are disposed on the bottom surface of the cable manager.
The attachment also provides a securing device for releasably securing the attachment to the fiber distribution housing. In one embodiment the securing device is a U-bolt. In another embodiment the securing device is a plurality of threaded screws. The threaded screws are used when the existing fiber distribution housing contains screw receiving holes in the top surface of the housing.
A second embodiment of the present invention is an optical fiber distribution housing comprising a main container member fitted with a rigid, horizontally disposed top optical fiber cable manager. The main container member has a front surface, a rear surface, a top surface, a bottom surface, side surfaces and a door retaining projection disposed on the top surface. The door retaining projection extends outwardly from the front surface of the main container member.
A horizontally disposed bottom cable retaining portion extends outwardly from the bottom of the front surface. A pivoting front door is secured to the bottom cable retaining portion by a hinge member. The pivoting front door includes a locking slot, which is adapted to receive the door retaining projection. The front door pivots about the hinge member from a closed position to an open position. When the front door is in the closed position the locking slot engages the door retaining projection to secure the front door in the closed position.
A cable connector panel is disposed on the front surface of the main container member. A plurality of cable connector slots are disposed on the connector panel. The cable connector slots are adapted to receive optical fiber cables.
A plurality of cable retaining brackets are positioned on the top surface of the horizontally disposed bottom cable retaining portion. A second plurality of cable retaining brackets are positioned on the bottom surface of the horizontally disposed top cable retaining frame. The optical fiber cables enter into an open space defined between the pivoting front door and the main container member and engage the connector slots. The optical fiber cables are retained in an organized position by the two sets of cable retaining brackets.
The rigid horizontally disposed optical fiber cable manager is preferably fabricated from black powder-coated sheet metal. The sheet metal is bent into the desired shape to fit the particular optical fiber housing. Once the cable manager is formed, commercially available cable brackets are attached to the sheet metal. The cable retaining brackets include a cable receiving slot that permits the optical fiber cable to enter into the cable retaining brackets.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a modular optical fiber cable manager that can be fabricated within the optical fiber distribution housing for new use or as an attachment to existing optical fiber distribution housings.
It is another object of the invention to provide a modular optical fiber cable manager that allows for the most efficient use of equipment rack and housing space while optimizing the cable management capabilities inside of the distribution housing.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a modular optical fiber cable manager that can be attached to an existing fiber distribution housing without having to make any modifications to the existing housing.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a modular optical fiber cable manager that is designed to properly manage the optical fiber cables in the top half of the fiber housing panels.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.